COVID-19: Canada enacts travel restrictions for southern Africa over "Omicron" variant | FULL

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced Friday that Canada was enacting five COVID-19 travel measures involving seven countries in southern Africa, including Zimbabwe and South Africa, that would see foreign nationals who travelled through these countries barred from entering Canada due to a new variant that had surfaced in the region.

The B.1.1.529 variant, also known as the "Omicron" variant, was first detected in South Africa.

Among the other travel measures is the requirement for those who travelled to Canada from the southern African region in the past 14 days to get a COVID-19 test and quarantine immediately. Canadians and permanent residents who arrive in Canada from the region will be tested on arrival and have to quarantine until they receive a negative test. Once they have, they must continue to quarantine and receive another test on their eighth day. Global Affairs is also advising people not travel to the region.

The update comes a week after the government announced as of Nov. 30, fully-vaccinated people returning to Canada will no longer be required to provide a negative PCR COVID-19 test if their trips are shorter than 72 hours.

During last Friday's press conference, Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino also announced that as of Jan. 15, 2022, people who are currently exempted from entry requirements to Canada will no longer be allowed in without being fully vaccinated.

Those include people coming to Canada to reunite with family, international students, professional and amateur athletes, people with valid work permits and essential service providers.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/8404034/covid-vaccine-mandates-ipsos-poll/

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